ALFRED TYLOR’s Journal

1872NEW COAL EATER

Advanced steam engines started to be used in our mine

July 5th 1875#1: New Coal Eater

I pulled the newspaper out of the old shelf that belonged to my grandfather. Newspaper was a bit yellow, and corners were torn. Surprisingly, black letters printed on the paper were intact. Reading those old paragraphs about the steam engine, I thought about my father, Joseph Tylor.

On the small piece of newspaper I am holding now, several paragraphs describe the advent of the practical steam engine invented by James Watt. Now, writing this diary in the late 19th century, I am familiar with factories, machines, steam engine locomotives et cetera. However, before the creation of a practical steam engine, animals or people did all the works. Waterwheels and windmills were also used, but they could only be used under particular conditions. The first steam engine was invented long before James Watt, but he is credited for improving the steam engine. Steam power has greatly helped me to increase the production of our mine. Pumps enabled us to get water out of our mine promptly, and helped miners to produce more in shorter period of time.

My father always enjoyed telling me about the steam engine. He told me it was a great innovation. He was an active man, and loved to talk to other people. When I was 8, he first told me how significant steam engines are. We sat around a small wooden table, and my father sat opposite to me. He was an owner of a coal mine, and coal was deeply related with steam engine. Steam engine was the invention that caused a great change from agrarian society to urban society. Before, people utilized energy sources that relied greatly on environment, but steam engine created machines that can work consistently like the pump in our mine. First, steam engines enabled factories to be built anywhere. Before, many factories relied on energy sources like wind and waterpower. The problem with this was that change in environment could stop factories. Moreover, factories had to be built near the river. With steam engine, factories could move closer to the coalfields. My father considered this as an opportunity, because with factories nearby, we could make more profits by selling coal. Then, with the development of the engine and factories, the demand for coal grew larger. As a result, my father determined to make the mine deeper, so that the miners could produce more coal. Moreover, steam engine advanced transportation technology, making people to need coal more. Anyway, my father enjoyed telling me these things, and for the most of the time, I found the story very amusing. How could a single invention change so many things?

I think my father told me those things, because steam engines are important to us. Without pump, it would have taken much longer to pump the water out. Steam engine increased the demand for coal, and eventually helped our family to make more money.

I put the newspaper into the shelf again. Maybe, better source of energy will appear in the future. What would my descendants think about steam engine?

September 23rd, 1870A Piece of iron

Water Balance Tower was used in ironworks I visited for lifting the iron

This morning, reading a book in my study, I suddenly noticed a rusty piece of

iron placed on the bookshelf. I attained it about forty years ago during a trip with my grandfather.

My grandfather was an active man, just like my father. He was tall, and he possessed profound wisdom. My grandfather’s house was near to our house, but we did not visit his home frequently. When we did visit his home, we (my siblings and I) always sat near the huge wooden table that was placed on the living room. My grandfather enjoyed talking about Blaenavon Ironworks. He set up collieries around Rhondda valley, and he was a business partner of the owner of the Blaenavon ironworks. One day, in 1830, my grandfather asked us if we would like to visit the ironworks. Of course, our answer was yes.

The trip started, and fortunately, Blaenavon Ironworks was not very far away from shoreditch. We rode a wagon for about an hour to reach there. There, with my grandfather, I saw water balance tower and furnaces. I also saw canals built along the valleys. They were for bringing iron down to the coast so that the iron could be shipped to foreign countries. Men were working inside buildings, but I was not allowed to approach them. My grandfather told me it is dangerous in there. There were some furnaces, and men’s sweat-glistening skin allowed me to predict the temperature inside. My grandfather said that the workers use limestone to and ironstone to produce iron. Blaenavon Ironworks was a wealthy company. There were many houses around the working space, and there were hundreds of workers. My grandfather told us about the Blaenavon Ironworks. He told us that Blaenavon Ironworks was established in 1789.

It was a town surrounded with ores, coal and limestone. When it was first opened, ironworks had three blast furnaces and about three hundred men. Then, with the advancement of technology, demand for iron got larger. In 1800, Watt’s steam engine was installed. Previously, ironworks usually relied on men and waterpower. After the advent of the steam engine, machines helped people to produce more iron in fewer amount of time. In 1805, a year which my grandfather put emphasis on, new blast furnaces were created. Those furnaces were great innovation. With the help of new technology, Blaenavon Ironworks’ production significantly rose. It was an interesting fact that Blaenavon Ironworks was a small company 30 years ago. I was standing in the middle of the huge company with numerous furnaces and workers!

Inside the Ironworks, my grandfather discussed with someone whom I did not know. He looked just as old as my grandfather, and he wore a blue jacket. After some minutes, the discussion ended and the old man handed us a piece of iron. It was a cube. Happily, we put it into our pockets. Unfortunately, my younger brother lost it about a week later.

I stood up from the couch, and picked up the piece of iron. Even though it was rusty, I liked it. I stared at the piece of iron, and I could see sweating workers.

June 8th 1842For Miners

Before 1842, children labored inside our family’s mines.

Any news that is related to mines is important to my family, because mines are the main source of wealth for our family.

Yesterday, 1842 Mine/collieries Act was declared. This act prohibits the employment of boys less than 10 years old and women, forbidding Child Labor. Right now, my family is discussing about this change.

I believe 1842 Mine Act is a decent policy. Now, numerous teenagers my age are going into the mine to feed their families. I know that many of them work under appalling conditions. Mining is a hazardous labor, because when getting the coal out of the mine, methane is produced, and methane can cause mine explosion. Even though explosion did not occur in our mine yet (our mine gave workers Davy Lamps which could lower the possibility of explosions), I heard that one of the mines nearby exploded a month ago.

However, another side of me, and my family dislikes this new policy. Our mine needs children to work as hurries and trappers so that our mine can produce more coal. Firing them means that we will earn less money in the future.

It is true that human beings should be treated humanely. This act is a response to the mine accident that happened in 1838 and Children’s employment commission 1842 report. Numerous children lost their lives as the consequence of the accident. Now, there are no employment benefits for the miners, and majority of miners lead miserable lives. However, even though we know that this policy will greatly enhance the lives of workers, we are still concerned about the damage this act will cause to our mine.

This afternoon, my family determined to prohibit the employment of females. There are about hundred females working in our mine. Loss of them will definitely slow down the production of coal. Moreover, tonight, we need to determine whether we are going to fire all the boys below the age of 10. Right now, my family is debating about this topic, but I believe they will adhere to the rule. They care about the miners, and I believe they will pay some money to help them.

I am curious about the long-term effect of 1842 mine acts. Even though my family predicts that it will cause harms to our mine, we are still not certain whether the damage will be severe or not. Moreover, the 1842 mine acts helped me to learn about horrid conditions miners work under. If I get the opportunity in the future, I might give some money to the miners for the education of their children. There must be some children who enjoy learning things just like I do. It is a depressing fact that some of them does not get an opportunity to study just because their parents are poor. I believe 1842 Mine Act is the first step made by England to stop inequality created by wealth and poverty.

March 3rd, 1877Digging for money

In 1877, coal from our mine was dispatched via Taff Vale Railwy

This morning, a letter arrived my home in 42 Newgate Street, London. Letter informed me that first steam coal was dispatched via the Taff Vale railway to Cardiff from Pendyrus mine. Finally, desired news came to me.

About five years ago, I purchased the mineral rights of Pendyrus farm, which is near Rhondda valley, and determined to sink the first pit there. I decided to do so, because demand for coal is greater than ever now. Recently, British ships are using huge amount of coal, because coal is a decent source of energy. For British Empire, ships are moving around actively, consuming coal much more than they did decades ago. Moreover, development of factories and other types of technological advancements increased the importance of coal in our society. By digging a mine, I can earn huge amount of money.

Construction of the mine started in 1873. Both No.6 and No.7 mines are 464 feet deep. Great difficulties were encountered in sinking the first pit: coal seams were reached at a depth of 333 yards. Last year, in 1876, people finally managed to reach the coal seam. This year, in 1877, Pendyrus colliery produced 3,252 tons of coal. I believe production of the mine will get much larger after ten years.

Excited by the news, I visited Pendyrus mine myself. There, I could see small houses where miners lived. Unlike London where I live, Rhondda valley was not developed enough. There was no underground, and population of the city was small. Near the mine, I noticed that some miners had blue stains on their arms, and sometimes on their faces. Before, my father told me about those “blue scars”. They were formed when the coal dust entered the body through the cuts.

Looking at people sweating and covered with dust, I suddenly remembered the day after the declaration of Mine Act. That day, I contemplated about the inequality inside British society. 35 years passed since the declaration of the Mine Act, but countless miners are still dying inside the mines. Thinking about those poor men, I determined to bequeath a percentage for the founding of scholarships for children after my death. Moreover, I determined to purchase the cricket ground for the youth of Carshalton.

Now that the mine is successfully built, I will be able to concentrate more on animals and geology in the future. There is still much more for me to learn about these fields.

Even though I am glad that the mine was constructed, I am somewhat concerned about mine explosions. My father usually told me about the mine explosion. He told me that when the fire inside the safety lamp turns blue, the mine can explode. Even though I am planning to provide miners the tools that can prevent accidents, I am still a bit concerned about this issue. Hopefully, my brother or my son will take care of the mine well.

28th January 1896Miners’ lives

Pendyrus mine exploded. It killed numerous poor men. What a disaster!

Yesterday, I opened my older brother, Alfred’s closet for the first time in my life. After his death in 1884,I rarely touched any of his possessions. Inside the closet, there was his diary, which I am writing on right now. There were about 30 blank pages in the diary.

Reading the old diary, I could look at his ideas about our grandfather. Moreover, I was quite amazed by the fact that the piece of the old iron on the bookshelf was the gift he got from Blaenavon Ironworks. It was such a long time ago!

Today, I opened this old diary to write about a disaster that happened this morning. This morning, at about 5:30 am, explosion took place at No.8 pit, killing 57 men. More than 300 men could be killed if full shift was down the pit. Eighty horses also died. Explosion caused havoc in No.7 pit.

I am not the owner of Pendyrus mines anymore. In 1892, I sold collieries in Tylorstown to David Davies. Now, I am living in London just as Alfred did in his later part of his life. However, even though mine explosion no longer has any relationships with me, it is always depressing to be informed about mine accidents.

I read my Alfred’s diary entry about 1842 Mine Acts. I could see that he cared much about the welfare of coal miners. Unfortunately, unlike his prediction, Mine Acts did not improve the lives of miners much. Miners still work under appalling and hazardous conditions. Even the Davy lamp, which was once called a great innovation, cannot always prevent the accident.

People are still not sure about the cause of the explosion, but they believe that this explosion is caused by the gas leak. In the past, there were many mine disasters caused by the methane gas.

Miners are poor men. Sanitation inside mines is poor, and many men get injured inside coal mines. Moreover, when they get injured, bugs can get into their wounds and cause disease. Miners lead painful lives. Then, a single explosion can take their lives away.

I am going to put this diary into the closet again. One of my descendants will someday discover this diary, and will read it. Information about the cruelty of 19th century mining industry should move to future. It is true that coal attained by miner’s labor contributed greatly to the development of British Empire. However, it also killed and gave pain to numerous people.

Now, I am an old man. Before, I cared only about money and the mine, but now, I do not have coalmine. I now desire to care about more important things than money. Like Alfred did, I want portion of my money to be used for the benefits of miners after my death.From now on, I will never open this diary again.

Works Cited• Invention of the steam engine• Wipps, Heather. "How the Steam Engine Changed the World." LiveScience.com.

N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2013.

• Blanaevon Ironworks• "Blaenavon Ironworks: A Brief History." Blaenavon World Heritage Site:. Welsh

Government, n.d. Web. 13 May 2013.

• 1842 Mine Acts • Davies, Alan (2006), The Pit Brow Women of the Wigan Coalfield, Tempus, ISBN

0-7524-3912-X

• New Pendyrus mine opened• "Tylorstown." Tylorstown. UK Government, n.d. Web. 13 May 2013.

• Pendyrus mine explosion• "Tylorstown." Tylorstown. UK Government, n.d. Web. 14 May 2013.

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